‘Even in a spring training game, it’s still cool.’ Kyle Lewis lifts Mariners to win with grand slam
Remember Kyle Lewis?
Remember last September, when the Seattle Mariners rookie couldn’t stop hitting home runs — launching six in just 18 games with the Mariners?
Well, Lewis is at it again this spring.
Friday night at Camelback Ranch, the 24-year-old outfielder belted an opposite field grand slam in the seventh inning, giving the Mariners the decisive runs in a 9-3 win over the Dodgers.
“It’s fun being able to hit the ball hard, and being able to kind of do that consistently,” Lewis said. “It’s cool to have one go over the fence in a big spot — even in a spring training game, it’s still cool.”
Lewis entered the game hitting just 2-for-17 (.118) this spring with one home run, two RBI, two walks, and though he’s only struck out four times, whenever he’s put the ball in play it has seemed to find a fielder.
“I don’t really feel like I’m in a funk,” he said. “I feel like I’m hitting the ball hard fairly consistently. It’s getting caught, but I’ve continued to hit it hard and swing at the right pitches.”
He did that in his first three at-bats Friday night, too, flying out each time to first, center and right.
“Kind of going in the dugout after that (last) one just felt like I was in a good spot as far as letting it get deep and using my right-center power, which is when I’m going well,” Lewis said. “It kind of felt like I had it in a decent spot.”
Mariners manager Scott Servais saw Lewis was just missing in those first three at-bats, and wanted to get him a fourth — and Lewis made it count.
The grand slam also scored Dee Gordon, Dylan Moore and Daniel Vogelbach, and helped the Mariners end a five-game skid.
“They are spring training games, but it means a lot to our young guys,” Servais said. “Kyle’s power is to right field, to right center field, so not a surprise to see him go out that way.
“You want to see these guys get it going, have some success, feeling good about their swings.”
Lewis said getting the fourth at-bat made all the difference, after logging fewer in earlier games this spring.
“To get four today I think definitely was a different feeling,” he said. “You’re able to get into the game more, later in the game, more at-bats. You’ve seen 15 pitches maybe up to that fourth at-bat. It’s a lot easier to get your body in rhythm.”
This story was originally published March 6, 2020 at 8:42 PM.
